Display frame having detachable interlocking joints



Jan. 20, 1

959 w. A. DILLEN 2,869,263

DISPLAY FRAME HAVING DETACHABLE INTERLOCKING JOINTS Filed Feb. 14, 1957 /5 i 2/ o /4 p I 2 i l I I I I l g F/G/ I "V l ATTORNEY INVENTOR' United States Patent DISPLAY FRAME HAVING DETACHABLE INTERLOCKING JOINTS Warren A. Dillen, Jeffersontown, Ky., assignor to Reynolds Metals Company, Richmond, Va., a corporation of Delaware Application February 14, 1957, Serial No. 640,293

7 Claims. (Cl. 40-155) This inventionrelates to a new and improved frame structure and, more particularly, to a lightweight frame structure having an improved interlocking joint between its framing members. The invention is especially useful in the mounting of flat sheet articles, such as semi-rigid advertising-posters, photographs, panes of glass, and other articles of this general type wherein the article is secured in position by engagement of its edges with the frame.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved detachable interlocking joint between a pair of tubular. frame members.

Another object is to provide a lightweight display frame having substantial rigidity and providing an attractive three dimensional framing appearance for the article supported therein.

Another object is to provide a display frame into and from which an article may be readily inserted or removed.

Another object is to provide an inexpensive knockdown frame having a minimum of parts and which may be assembled or disassembled without the use of tools.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds and when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings showing a presently preferred frame and joint construction.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevation view of an empty assembled display frame.

Fig. 2 is a view along line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and to a larger scale showing. a typical hanger means for supporting the display frame.

Fig.3 is an elevation view to a larger scale showing the interlocked frame members at one corner of the assembled rame.

Fig. 4 is a plan view along line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an end view along line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is an elevation view of a portion of a projecting frame member showing the integral interlocking projection.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the frame member of Fig. 6 showing one configuration of the interlocking projection and,

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the frame member of Fig. 6 showing an alternate configuration of the interlocking projection.

Referring first to Fig l, the frame of my invention may comprise four elongated tubular members, 10, 11, 12 and 13, each formed from a suitably rolled blank of material, preferablyaluminum or similar light weight material. In forming the tubular members the inwardly rolled edges are slightly separated, as seen in Fig. 2, to provide an inwardly facing slot longitudinally of the members for receiving an edge of the article to be supported by the frame. Preferably the width of the slots is uniform for all of the tubular members. For the purpose of mounting the frame on a suitable structure, one or more thin hangers 14, 15 may be engaged around a tubular member with the extreme edges 16 and 17 of the hanger extending into the slot of the tubular member and resting in engagement with the faces of the article received in that slot. The open ends of each tubular member may be closed with a suitable cap 19 having interiorly disposed fingers resiliently engaging with the interior wall of the tubular member.

As a feature of the invention, two of the tubular members 10 and 11, hereinafter called projecting frame member, are of a smaller outside diameter than the cooperating members 12 and 13, hereinafter called displaceable members. Each of the displaceable members is provided with a pair of spaced apertures, one being shown at 20 (Fig. 5) for receiving the outer end portions of the projecting members. These apertures preferably are of the same size, or slightly smaller than the normal outside of the projecting members which preferably have a slight transverse resiliency.

Referring now to Figs. 4 to 7, each of the projecting tubular members is provided with an integral outwardly extending projection or locking lug 21 on its side diametrically opposite its slot. Preferably, each such member has such a projection near each of its ends although in its proader aspects, the invention comprehends the use of only one displaceable member with the opposite member being rigidly afiixed to the projecting members. Projection 21 may be formed by slitting the stock from which the tubular member is formed and by stretching outwardly the partially supported strip of material, as seen in Fig. 6. For the purpose of providing a secure interlocking joint, the projection 21 preferably has gradually sloping sides 22 and 23 leading to a narrowed inright in-Fig. 4 only as far as shoulders 25 and 26. The narrower portions of sloping sides 22 and 23 first engage the edges of the slot in the displaceable member, as seen in Fig. 4, during the assembly of the frame, and when those edges engage in the indented recess 24 of the locking lug, the displaceable member and the projecting member are interlocked against both longitudinal and rotational movement, thus providing a stable framework. Normally, the displaceable member can be moved to the right in Fig. 4 only as far as the shoulders 25 and 26. However, by deliberately springing the periphery of the larger tubular member, it can be moved inwardly upon tubular projecting members 10 and 11 as far as desired when positive interlocking is unimportant.

As a modification, the projection 21 of Fig. 8 may be provided with sloping sides 22 and 23 leading to indented recess 24 on one direction of movement and with sloping sides 32 and 33 leading to a spaced second indented recess 34 in the second direction of movement, the two indented recesses being joined by abrupt shoulders on each side. By means of this arrangement, the displaceable member may be interlocked with the projecting member in either direction of movement of the displaceable member.

With the foregoing in mind, the advantages of my invention will now be apparent. The frame comprises a minimum of parts, each of which is detachable from the other, permitting shipping and storing of the frame in knock-down condition. Assembly may be made without the use of tools merely by manually sliding a displaceable member into engagement with the interlocking projection at the ends of two of the projecting members. The flat article to be framed is then slipped into the slots of the two projecting members and thence into the slot of the displaceable member already interlocked. Due to the hollow nature of the tubular members, the frame is light in weight and also serves to encompass a substantial edge section of the article placed therein, thus contributing to a secure mounting of the article, particularly if the same is flexible. The frame is completed by manually sliding the second displaceable member along the second ends of 3 thehprojecting members until it becomes interlocked therewit Whereas a rectangular frame having four tubular memhers is illustrated assan example, it willabetapparent that other geometric shapesof frames may beemployed merely by slanting the apertures" in the .displaceable members.

While I have described hereinfone embodiment of my invention, it is obvious that various changes could be made therein without departing from the spirit of the same, and I therefore wish it to be understood that I do not intend to limit myself by thedescription except within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A frame for mounting afiat articleand'comprising in combination, a plurality of interconnected tubular frame members, each having an inwardlyfacing slot for receiving an edge of said article, at least one ofsaid members having apertures through which two of vsaid members project and being displaceable along said projecting members, and means integral with said projecting members for locking said displaceable member thereto.

2. 'A frame as defined in claim 1 wherein said locking means engages with the edges of the slot in said displaceable member thereby to prevent longitudinal and rotational shifting between said interlocked members.

3. A frame as defined in claim'2 wherein said frame members comprise aluminum.

' 4. In a display frame having a pair of connected tubular members with longitudinal slots therein to receive the edges of a flat article, the improvementcomprisingafirst tubular member larger in diameter than the second tubular member and having an aperture therethrough intersecting the slot therein and with said aperture substantially as large as the outside diameter of the second tubular member, said second tubular member having a part extending through said aperture, and a projection formed on the side of said second tubular member opposite the slot therein and adapted for engagement with the edges of the slot and aperture in said first tubular member thereby to provide an interlocking joint between said first and second tubular members.

5. An interlocking joint as defined in claim 4, wherein said projection includes an outwardly stretched portion of the wall of said second tubular member.

6. An interlocking joint as defined in claim 5 wherein said portion includes spaced sides sloping from an indented recess toward one end of said second tubular memher.

7. An interlocking jointas defined in claim 5 wherein said portion includes spaced sides sloping from a first indented recess towardone end of said second tubular member and a second pair of spaced sides sloping from a second indented recess toward the other end of said second tubularmember.

References Cited in' the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,5 90,357 Weiller Mar. .25, 1952 

